Tony D's Coal Fired Pizza

Location

288 Exchange Boulevard, Rochester, NY 14608

Hours (as of September 2008)

Monday - Thursday: 11:00AM to 10:00PM

Friday: 11:00AM to 11:00PM

Saturday: 4:00PM to 11:00PM

Sunday: 4:00PM to 9:00PM

Phone

585 340 6200

Accessible

Yes. Use the side-ramp to enter the door on the landing side

Alcohol

Yes (pending liquor license)

Reviews

2008-09-24 City Newspaper review

Rochester NY Pizza Blog review

Tony D's Coal Fired Pizza is a pizzeria and dine-in restaurant. Located in the Corn Hill Landing complex on Exchange Boulevard.

Comments:

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2008-09-15 13:36:18   Went here with a friend last week. My friend loved his pizza (scarfed it down in record time). I ordered the coal-fired wings, and they were tasty and different, but they were very salty (then again I love salt so that didn't bother me). The waitress was very attentive and even rubbed my back a couple times to make sure everything was okay (yes u read that right) lol. The place is a little loud and sometimes the fellow patrons were obnoxious, but that did not detract from our experience overall. —TippingPoint

2008-09-28 23:35:24   Just went there tonight. Pizza was fantastic and the prices were right. Very friendly and very attentive staff as well. Was a little loud, but at a crowded restaurant with limited space (it was a little small, but I can think of others in Rochester) it's to be expected. Would definitely recommend it! —WillChesebro

2008-10-02 10:34:46   Went here a couple of weeks ago, was intrigued by the coal fired pizza. Unfortunately, it was entirely forgettable. The sauce tasted like it came out of a bottle. The cheese was just 'eh.' And the hot peppers we ordered on top were so hot, both my boyfriend and I had stomachaches afterwards (and we LOVE spicy foods). Service was fine, we came for an early dinner and were able to get a table right away. It was nice to be able to watch your pizza being made in the open kitchen. Some of the other food diners were eating looked good, like the mussels. But for a place that bills itself as a pizza place, they need to be able to do pizza right. I don't think we'll be giving this place another shot. —MRich

2008-10-03 17:59:24   No complaints about the food. But it was so noisy and the other patrons (who seemed to be affiliated in some way with the management... friends perhaps?) we're INCREDIBLY loud and obnoxious. Waiter was too busy socializing to refill our water and soda. All together, I'm not sure I'll be back. —VikramManjunath

2008-10-11 01:45:42   Slow service, but since you can see how tiny the kitchen is, that's forgivable. Decent atmosphere (loud, but not overwhelmingly so), and while the pizza was a bit oily for my taste, the arancini (fried rice balls) were incredible. —McgMatt

2008-10-30 16:38:13   My friends and I had some amazing pizzas at Tony D's. The place is tiny inside, so I dont know how they will make any money in the winter, but whatever. The interior is nice, and while the menu is limited to only a few pizzas, paninis and a couple of apps, you can create any pizza you want. I wanted an ingredient from one of the appetizers on my pizza (it wasnt listed as a pizza option) and they accomodated me. As long as the food is in house, they said they can do it. Overall it was a good experience. In the summer they should do much better with their outdoor deck. —MrRochester

2008-12-10 11:02:05   The environment was crowded but i didn't mind. I sat at the bar overlooking the chef which was nice for entertainment purposes. The pizza was delicious but the peppers we had on top were way too hot and i had to peal them off. Also, there could have been more toppings on some of the slices there were none at all. —KM

2008-12-11 00:41:39   In response to "KM" about the wings being "double dipped", I was also concerned about cross contamination and inquired with the chef. Chef Jay informed me that the chicken wings come in daily pre-cooked (steamed) and they simply finish preparing them with there seasonings in the pizza oven. I've visited Tony's many times since their grand opening and their pizza (and wings) are easily my favorite in the city. —JohnDakota

2009-01-03 17:01:36   We have been here 4-5 times and have always had a great experience. It is small but cozy. I like having the large windows overlooking the deck/river and the open oven right there. The lighting is relaxing and is well decorated. Servoce has always been attentive. I really love the pizza because it has a very thing and crispy crust. It is reasonably priced and its nice to be able to get out of a Rochester restaurant feeling content without having to lay out $75 or more. —JamesPatrick

2009-02-12 12:02:22   Oh My God. Finally. I moved back in Sept from NYC after 9 years. Two of my biggest concerns (aside from snow and no sun!) was finding good sushi and pizza. Let me tell you, its been a struggle. Once you've had good pizza, its hard to go back to thick, undercooked dough and bad sauce. Since moving, I've had pizza all over town and always left disappointed and wishing I could ask for my money back. I read the article about Tony's and rushed over. We were beyond impressed with the food, staff, ambience, etc. We sat at the counter with the chef's which was fun. The salads and pizza exceeded our expectations and we will absolutely go back on a very regular basis. Of course, my only criticism is the size of the restaurant. On our first attempt to go there, we were told the wait was 90 minutes so we left. Its like finding the promise land but told there are only 9 tables. Btw, I lost to eat and have never written a review so that says a lot! Well done. —JenniferKnapp

2009-03-14 18:31:37   AWFUL!

Burnt pizza, tasteless meatballs, and appetizers (especially the "crispy crab cakes") that sure as he@@ tasted like generic, thaw-and-microwave 'Sysco Foods' products for expensive $$. This place is the worst restaurant I've experienced in Rochester, NY.. EVER.

Service is apathetic. When I was asked 'how is everything, you didn't each much of your pizza." I said to the girl "It's burnt. I don't like pizza that's crispified all over with carbon!" She blandly replied "I've never heard that before." No offer of free dessert (not that I would have taken it anyway) nor any offer whatsoever to remove/discount an item from my bill. 'service recovery' should be a critical component of any business that cares about the quality of their product. When a patron/customer has a valid product/service problem and you don't offer a productive resolution then WHY would you bother to ask "How was everything? You didn't eat much of your pizza" AND who would want to patronize a restaurant that doesn't care to make things right?! If you don't care about me, why should I tolerate crummy product and service from you? Easy answer- never again, "Tony D's"

I want to write a letter to anyone who might care at Tony D's just to state my experience after wasting $60 dollars on junk food, junk service, at tables that were 8 inches from the next patron. Sadly, after my experience and the absolute LACK of problem resolution, I really doubt anyone cares. What makes it worse is that I'm quite sure I saw what appeared to be the 'owner/manager' standing right near the bar watching burnt pizza after burnt pizza leave the ovens— the servers went right by him with each crummy food offering.

Times are too tough to waste money on absolute garbage. SAVE YOUR MONEY and find a real Italian restaurant if one exists in Rocheser— Try Rocky's perhaps.

This place gets an F (minus) in my book and I am a super-tolerant, very easy-going patron! What a bummer :-(

—Banjes

2009-03-14 18:34:07   P.S. Couldn't add pictures of the crappy burnt pizza on this site. Check out my review on Yelp.com for pics of this monstrosity they called "coal fired(scorched) pizza" http://www.yelp.com/biz/tony-ds-coal-fired-pizza-rochester —Banjes

2009-03-19 11:03:36   I just went here last night after reading a great review and it has become one of my favorites. If you go you MUST try the arancini—deep fried risotto balls flavored with cheese, pine nuts, and prosciutto. Delicious and reasonably priced. I would wholeheartedly recommend this place to everyone! —JodiA

2009-03-19 11:05:27   And to the commenter above who complained about "burnt" pizza—it states very clearly on the menu that the pizza will be well-done. It is coal-fired. If you do not like well-done, thin, crispy crust, the pizza here is not for you. —JodiA

2009-03-26 15:45:29   Loved it! Great addition to Rochester's restaurant scene. I dream about the arancini appetizer! —MDelphinki

2009-04-07 11:32:31   I've visited four times and enjoyed my food each visit (various pizzas, calamari, salads, arancini). My only complaint is the restaurant is extremely loud, making it difficult to have a conversation. —EllenKelsey

2009-04-08 11:35:49   went here with 4 friends last Friday night. dinner was fantastic— beautiful view of the river, good wine selection, incredible pizza. one of us received a pizza that had anchovies on it instead of artichokes, and the chef redid her pizza within 10 minutes. VERY small and loud though— we waited at least an hour for a table. would definitely come back again during less busier hours! —KaylieWinkler

2009-04-20 13:25:32   I love this place. Although the wait was a bit long, we did not mind it. Especially after we got our food. Everything was amazing. The app, dinner, service, dessert! The best I have had around this area in a while. I am from chicago and this place is definately one of my favorites of all time. I had a crabcake and it was the best I have had! The pizza is well done..and perfect! Great freindly service, from beginning till end, they seem like family and treat you just like it. Excellent! —sarahcostello

2009-04-29 14:55:12   Just went to Tony D's this past weekend, and I plan on going back again and again! I LOVE crispy pizza, and yes it is a little burnt, but thats what COAL FIRED pizza is! It even says on the menu that the pizza is well done! (My mom doesn't like it burnt, so we asked them to not cook hers as long and they were happy to) And to anyone who thinks its too loud or too crowded, don't go out to restaurants on the weekends. This place has good wine (some beer), awesome food, and a cool atmosphere. The arancini (risotto fritters) are amazing and so is the pizza. They had a seafood daily special with clams, mussels, and shrimp that was soooo good. I think they also had lamb shanks, which I didn't have, but come on, what kind of pizza place serves lamb shanks! The wait was a little long, but it is so small, there isn't really much that can be done about that. I would recommend Tony's to anyone who is looking for a fun and different place to go with a date or with friends (I wouldn't suggest bringing your kids). Oh, and they only take reservations if you have 6 or more people, so get there early to get a table! —AllieJohnson

2009-05-04 18:43:09   I love food in general so it's hard to say but I will not go back again. The place looks nice but the music is so loud it's difficult to carry on a conversation. Aside from that the food was not good. My pizza came out BURNT (the menu does warn the pizzas are 'well done' but that's no excuse to serve pizza with the edges of the crust literally falling to ash. The sauce had dried out and the cheese had separated into crators filled with oil, as cheese does when heated beyond just melting. I wish I could post a picture. Another annoyance was that we were not given real plates, we had to make due with 6" diameter bread plates, which coincidently are smaller than the size of the pieces they cut. As others have said, the people that were enjoying themselves seemed to be 'in' with the management. I felt like an unwelcome after-thought at a personal party. —J----

2009-06-30 14:26:28   I love this place. Ive been there about 6 times and I keep coming back bc of the great atmosphere, friendly service (ask for Kelly or Carol) and the amazing food. Their pizzas are delicious and their spicy seafood special is fantastic. I also want to suggest the arancinis and the chicken wings. In fact everything on the menu is phenomenal :) When I ordered the seafood special I found myself actually drinking the marinara broth right out of the bowl my order came in (im not lieing!! lol) —limeylimer

2009-07-07 22:34:09   Don't listen to a couple of haters! This place is EXCELLENT! I've been 3 times and have been very happy with the food and service. I'd also like to note that I very much enjoyed myself, and I don't know anyone who works there - theory disproved! —NoBS

2009-07-10 21:15:15   Went for lunch with some colleagues. Got to sit outside, which had a nice breeze and was under an awning for shade. Our server Julia was really great. I had a pizza - quite tasty, a little too much flour/cornmeal/whatever on the bottom of the crust, but I understand that can be necessary in authentic ovens. Others in my party had salads, sandwiches and other meals and everyone thoroughly enjoyed their meals. Get there early for lunch - it filled up quickly. I'll definitely be going back. (PS - The inside seemed noisy when we walked through to leave) —DGandDJ

2009-07-27 22:07:36   I still think this is one of the best Italiam places in Rochester. The "Sunday sauce" is out of this world good. LOVE IT!!! I also love the pizza and greens&beans. Service is alwasy excellent. I agree that restaurant can be too loud. The management should be aware of that and turn the music down a bit when there are alot of people in the restaurant. (and also not jack the music up when its empty....which is VERY annoying) We asked them to turn the music down and they did. —JamesPatrick

2009-07-27 22:30:04   picked up a pizza for lunch here a few days ago. pretty good stuff, I destroyed that pizza quickly.

As for people complaining about "burnt pizza", coal fired ovens are very hot and cooking thin crust pizzas in it gives you a very well done product. There is a warning on the menu, if you can't get past that go somewhere else. Its just a style of pizza, and many other people are very fond of it. —JohnJoseph

2009-08-26 11:02:17   On online menu would be very helpful. It seems such a thing does not exist.

I am supposed to go for a group lunch this afternoon and have some specific dietary restrictions. Oh well. Hope for the best, I guess. —ErikaWu

2009-11-03 11:07:46   best pizza i've had in rochester yet. also ignore the city review, it was written before they started cranking up the oven to the correct temperature again and stopped trying to pander to idiots who think this is the wrong way to make pizza. —RaginRon